1 The government decided to include caste count in the upcoming census
The Central Government has decided to include caste census in the upcoming census . The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a decision in this regard. According to Article 246 of the Indian Constitution, census is a subject of the Union, which is mentioned at 69th place in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule . Although some states have conducted surveys for caste-wise census, transparency and purpose have been different in these. Some surveys have been conducted solely with a view to politics, which has created confusion in the society. Keeping all these situations in mind and to ensure that the social fabric remains free from political pressure, it has been decided to conduct caste-wise census in the main census itself instead of separate surveys. This will ensure that the society remains economically and socially strong and the progress of the country continues without any hindrance. It is noteworthy that there was no tension in any section of the society when a provision of 10 percent reservation was made for the economically weaker sections. Caste has been excluded in all the censuses since the independence of the country. In the year 2010, the then Prime Minister, late Dr. Manmohan Singh had assured the Lok Sabha that the issue of conducting caste-wise census would be considered in the Cabinet. A group of ministers was also formed to discuss this subject. Apart from this, most of the political parties had recommended caste-wise census. Despite this, the previous government opted for Socio-Economic and Caste Census Survey (SECC) instead of caste census.
2 Central government approves 166.80 km high-speed greenfield corridor from Shillong to Silchar
The central government has taken an important decision to strengthen the connectivity of Northeast India . The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Modi has approved the construction of a new four-lane greenfield high-speed access controlled corridor from Shillong to Silchar . This road project will be developed on Hybrid Annuity Mode and its total length will be 166.80 km. This high-speed corridor will be constructed on National Highway No. 06 (NH-06) from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong, Meghalaya) to Panchgram (near Silchar, Assam ). This project will be prepared at a cost of Rs 22,864 crore. Out of this, 144.80 km will come in Meghalaya and 22.00 km in Assam. This high-speed corridor will improve the service quality between Guwahati and Silchar and will greatly ease and accelerate connectivity to the mainland of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Barak Valley region of Assam. This will not only reduce travel time and distance but will also make logistics services more efficient.
3 75 space laboratories will be set up in Eklavya-model residential schools in 19 states
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited have decided to set up 75 space laboratories in Eklavya Model Residential Schools in 19 states . Each laboratory will have advanced scientific instruments including LVM3 launch vehicle and EO satellite demo model, star tracker telescope and CanSat working model . With this initiative, the ministry wants to open new avenues for tribal youth in the field of space science, technology, engineering and mathematics. More than 50 thousand tribal students will benefit from this initiative.
4 Udhampur: Lieutenant General Prateek Sharma will be the new Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army Command
Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma has taken over as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army Command in Udhampur . Mr Sharma replaced Lieutenant General M.V. Suchendra Kumar. Lieutenant General Suchendra Kumar retired today after over 30 years of service. Lieutenant General Sharma has been part of major operations like Operation Pawan, Meghdoot, Rakshak and Parakram. Lieutenant General Sharma has held key positions including Director General of Military Operations, Military Secretary Branch.
5 RIL appoints Anant Ambani as ED; becomes first Indian company to cross Rs 10 lakh crore equity mark
On April 26, 2025 , the board of directors of Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) appointed Anant M. Ambani as Executive Director (ED) for a five-year term , effective May 1, 2025 , subject to shareholders’ approval. Currently, he serves as a non-executive director at RIL and has been actively involved in the group’s energy and sustainability initiatives, where RIL aims to become a net-zero carbon company by 2035. He plays a key role in driving RIL’s energy ventures, particularly focusing on green and renewable energy (RE) initiatives.
6 US Special 301 Report 2025: India retained on Priority Watch List
The United States has retained India in the Priority Watch List country category of the 2025 Special 301 List for failing to provide adequate and effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights on US goods and services . 26 trading partners of the United States, including India, were identified as countries of concern where there was inadequate protection of intellectual property rights of US goods and services. Under the Trade Act of 1974, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has to prepare an annual report to the United States Congress on the state of protection of intellectual property rights on US goods around the world. The USTR places the trading partner country on the Priority Watch List or Watch List. Countries where USTR believes the most serious violations of intellectual property rights are taking place are put on the Priority Watch List. Under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, USTR investigates countries that are included in the Priority Watch List and Watch List.
7 Release of ‘Beyond the Courtroom’ written by Fali S. Nariman
In April 2025 , ‘ Beyond the Courtroom: Reflections on Law, Constitution, and Nationhood ‘ , written by the late Fali Sam Nariman, was released. It is a collection of S. Nariman’s most influential speeches, groundbreaking articles, and informative lectures, reflecting the wide range of his legal and constitutional expertise. The book is published by Hay House Publishers India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi (Delhi) . Divided into five sections (Nation, Judiciary, Constitution, Law, and Arbitration), the book also offers advice to young lawyers and tackles ethical questions.
8 Cricket to remain in 2026 Asian Games, mixed martial arts set to be included for the first time
Cricket has been retained for the 2026 Asian Games , while mixed martial arts is set to be included for the first time. The Asian Games 2026 will be held in Aichi and Nagoya prefectures of Japan from 19 September to 4 October . Cricket will be included in the Asian Games for the fourth time.